DuPage Symphony Orchestra presents “Heroic and Hopeful” at North Central College

The DuPage Symphony Orchestra will perform the multimedia concert “Heroic and Hopeful” Feb. 12 and 13 at North Central College.

The DuPage Symphony Orchestra (DSO) celebrates all that is America with its centerpiece performance of the season, “Heroic and Hopeful.” Audience members will experience the diversity of traditions that have blended together as families and cultures have intertwined over the years.

Two performances will take place at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, in North Central College’s Wentz Concert Hall at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. Tickets are $28/adults, $25/seniors and $11/students; call the North Central College Box Office at 630-637-SHOW (7469) or visit northcentralcollege.edu/showtix. Valet parking service will be available for each performance in front of Wentz Concert Hall for $7.

The first half of the concert offers Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor, “From the New World,” his most popular symphony and one of the most performed pieces in symphonic repertoire. Commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, the piece is influenced by Native American and African American spiritual themes and is inspired by Longfellow’s “The Song of Hiawatha.”

The program continues with Peter Boyer’s “Ellis Island: The Dream of America.” DSO violist Andy Dogan conducted this work with the Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra and says “this original composition combines memorable melodies, sparkling orchestration, historical imagery and spoken word from the Ellis Island Oral History Project to create a profoundly moving and emotional experience unlike almost anything else in the (symphony) repertoire.” It is one of the few modern orchestral compositions that is now considered a standard symphonic selection.

The performances are presented by the DSO in collaboration with North Central College’s Office of International Programs, Cultural Events committee and Department of Theatre.

David Orlicz, DSO director of education and a Chicago-area woodwind musician, will present a pre-concert educational program. The education program starts 45 minutes before each concert and are free to subscribers. A nominal donation is requested from other attendees.

Further information about this performance, the DSO season, and other DSO concerts and events is available by calling the DuPage Symphony Orchestra office at 630-778-1003 or visiting dupagesymphony.org to learn more.

USG Corporation and Navistar, Inc. are underwriting sponsors of North Central College’s 2011-2012 Sesquicentennial Fine & Performing Arts Season. This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. This performance is one of many ongoing programs at North Central College to enrich and broaden the cultural and academic outlook for the College and community. North Central offers a variety of venues accommodating a rich range of local and world-class events, performances and space needs for the public. For a comprehensive schedule of musical performances, theatrical and dance productions, art exhibits and lectures, visit northcentralcollege.edu/show or call the box office at 630-637-SHOW (7469).